The Joint Center for Energy Storage Research (JCESR) is expected to be the most advanced energy storage research program in the U.S.

Argonne National Lab is jump-starting a new Batteries and Energy Storage Hub that is expected to significantly advance battery technology for vehicles and the grid.

The Batteries and Energy Storage Hub, which will be known as the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research (JCESR), is expected to be the most advanced energy storage research program in the U.S. It will offer the data needed for scientists to make huge strides in the energy sector.

JCESR, which is ran by Argonne National Lab Senior Scientist George W. Crabtree, was chosen for a $120 million award over a five-year period. With this money, it'll bring together the efforts of other independent research programs for new battery advances.

More specifically, the advancements will focus on transportation and the grid. As far as transportation goes, research and development will work on increasing the electric range for vehicle batteries. On the grid side, increasing storage capabilities for energy-producing mediums like wind, solar and hydropower will improve efficiency and flexibility.

This new hub falls in line with the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) plan to focus 2013 spending on electric vehicles and grid modernization.

quote: Because they can't afford them and the cars themselves can't go as far.

But that's exactly the point. It's a chicken and the egg type situation. Private enterprise is often reluctant to take the plunge into an area where there is higher risk combined with long timelines before positive returns are realized. Therefore the costs don't come down and ranges don't improve.

Research facilities/projects like the one being proposed are the way to create the technologies that reduce costs and give better range on batteries. Private enterprise will jump on board at a faster pace after some of the risk has been mitigated due to advances made by these types of publicly funded projects.

There's a trickle down (up?) effect at work here. These things typically start small for things like phone, watch and camera batteries and work through an early adopter process.

After being proven on a smaller scale, they will scale up to larger devices like cars and buses as the production economics and processes improve. There are definitely massive profit incentives to creating better battery technology.

As I already explained, the market needs are quite different. For car batteries, the main figure of merit is (cycles * kWh)/price. The better that is, the more mileage there will be over which to amortize its cost. Initial cost alone is only relevant to short sighted consumers. Lease rates take into account the higher residual value of a car with a good battery.

For cell phones, energy density is king. Once you hit 1000 cycles, there's no market incentive to do better.